Episode 382

[ApostleBob]

I finally read this episode and I'm still surprised how little story and character they are able to express in so many pages.

Basically the monks lead Guts into a jungle tomb and seal him in for... reasons.

Why do they need 40 people to do this? Who knows? Why are the Kushan soldiers terrified of Guts? They've never seen him fight and he's an emo zombie so it makes no sense.

What is the purpose of all this effort and travel for a foreign enemy soldier who shows no motivation to do anything? Apparently it's to kill him. Daiba and Silat basically imply that they expect him to die in this tomb, not have some mystical re-awakening. If that's the case, why was all this elaborate ceremony performed for this guy? He's not a noble or some honored hero to the Kushan people?

The episode is full of manufactured conflict that is dispelled as soon as it is brought up.
- Guts halts and people are scared? Shove him and he moves again.
- Silat and Isidro are sneakily following to infiltrate a forbidden area? They jump forward and are greeted by Daiba.
- The ancient walls are lined with root-infused corpses? No one will even mention that.
- They're going to force Guts into a tomb with spears? He walks in and nothing happens.

This is all a distraction to obfuscate that nothing is happening and a lot of time is being wasted to hide our main character from view. I don't know why the continuation team is so terrified to give Guts a voice and a personality. It honestly wouldn't be that hard to have him be depressed but find determination to get Casca back. Surely Hakusensha has writers and consultants who could help this trainwreck.

It's a shame that the people who worked so closely with Miura learned nothing from his storytelling ability except basically an imitation of his art style.

 

[Lawliet]

So...basically Guts entered the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.

Episode 383, probably:

Anyway, Aaz's write-ups are the only things I look forward to during these releases. Thanks for the effort as always, @Aazealh.

 

[Beelzebud]

I did not have anything to comment on this one, as so little was conveyed.

But this night I had a dream() with the next episode, and it showed that the Berserk armor was previously placed inside the Stupa, hanging on chains similar to the ones Hanarr used. I'm not sure if it looked dirty or rusted but there was something onits surface. I also remember Puck entering the Stupa through some crack on the wall exactly the moment Guts was almost touching the chestplate that was on his eyes level and my dream ended with Puck giving a exclamation like "NO!".

That's it, I woke up confused and all sweat(even if it was 4ºc), and at first I was feeling like I just read one of Miura episodes because I was feeling joy during the dream, but it did not take long for me to fall into reality.

I think this last episode just disturbed me to the point I started having dreams with the possibility of Berserk coming back. Last time I feel that was on May 2021

Fans of Berserk, beware!

I want to end this post with a warning to fellow fans of Berserk. Be vigilant. Do not get used to this bastardized continuation to the story, to these deformed, mutilated versions of the characters. Don't let them ruin your perception of Berserk, the real Berserk that Kentarou Miura created. I say that because I think with enough exposure over enough time, the Continuation really could twist someone’s perception of the series.

And that’s really what we must fight back against desperately at this point. Because the worst thing we could do is allow these people to tarnish, if not erase Miura’s legacy. Clearly his former associates aren’t helping secure it, they're working against it, so it falls to us to keep the torch burning and stave off the darkness. We must be stalwart in accomplishing this goal because there will be no one else to do it if we fail.

I don't know exactly how many times I've done a complete re-read, absolutely more than 10, and many many volumes and/or episodes re-read, but since Miura's passing, I've tried it twice but it just triggered anxiety on me, so I was just able to make small re-read on volumes and episodes to confirm some facts I didn't remember well.
You're right, the continuation can and do twist our perception of the series, to me it's not to the point that I'll blame Miura or forget what an incredible artist and storyteller he was, but it's twisting what Berserk is to me.

I just want this stupid fan fiction to end, and if we need to keep the torch burning I believe that's what we need to fight for.

Continuation co. is just corrupting that Masterpiece that Berserk is, by using it's name and even Miura name on it.

What can we do for it? Just complaining here will not affect SG perception that they are failing the basic they need to do. How can we spread a boycott to influence their pockets? Their language is money, so let's talk about money then!

 

[Aazealh]

this stupa stuff might be a Miura's idea after all, due to how the tomb is portrayed.

Honestly I don't think so. Like you mentioned, the characters shouldn't even be there. They were transported magically and without explanation to the other side of the world and taken into a city that should be in ruins to meet with characters that shouldn't exist (like Emperor Lardassian). As for calling that place "the end of the world", given that it took a crippled old man only a night's walk to get there from "the capital city", it seems more like a meaningless buzzword than a real thing. And don't get me started on Guts' condition.

I would also like some bits on Kushan sorcery/worldview and how it differs from Elfhelm's one (are their "taboos" the same?) but I doubt we're getting anything of substance.

A lot of things about the Kushans were already explained by Miura long ago, and guess what? The Continuation either disregarded them or misunderstood them.

Daiba and Silat basically imply that they expect him to die in this tomb, not have some mystical re-awakening. If that's the case, why was all this elaborate ceremony performed for this guy?

This is a good point. So far the Continuation team has kept things extremely basic when it comes to set-ups and expectations. Given the whole charade about the Brand, you'd think Daiba would have ulterior motives, especially since he was established as having them in episode 376... but I wouldn't bet against the possibility that he literally meant to leave Guts there. That's the Continuation for ya.

Anyway, Aaz's write-ups are the only things I look forward to during these releases. Thanks for the effort as always, @Aazealh.

Glad I can help!

I just want this stupid fan fiction to end, and if we need to keep the torch burning I believe that's what we need to fight for. Continuation co. is just corrupting that Masterpiece that Berserk is, by using it's name and even Miura name on it.

What can we do for it? Just complaining here will not affect SG perception that they are failing the basic they need to do. How can we spread a boycott to influence their pockets? Their language is money, so let's talk about money then!

I will work on a proposal for a letter-writing campaign over the summer. But it will only work if enough people are willing to make the effort.

 

[Vitris]

This is a good point. So far the Continuation team has kept things extremely basic when it comes to set-ups and expectations. Given the whole charade about the Brand, you'd think Daiba would have ulterior motives, especially since he was established as having them in episode 376... but I wouldn't bet against the possibility that he literally meant to leave Guts there. That's the Continuation for ya.

Maybe they forgot they made Daiba evil again, or they failed to convey he's changed his mind after Rakshas' attack.

I will work on a proposal for a letter-writing campaign over the summer. But it will only work if enough people are willing to make the effort.

Count me in!

 

[Walter]

What is the purpose of all this effort and travel for a foreign enemy soldier who shows no motivation to do anything? Apparently it's to kill him. Daiba and Silat basically imply that they expect him to die in this tomb, not have some mystical re-awakening. If that's the case, why was all this elaborate ceremony performed for this guy?

An excellent point! But ... 381 does sort of address it.

Daiba says he's not sure what would happen if they killed Guts on the spot. More horrible things might randomly start appearing in the city if they killed him there. So they're bringing him here where uhhhh, I guess his death will at least be insulated in this tomb, like nuclear waste.

 

[ApostleBob]

An excellent point! But ... 381 does sort of address it.

Daiba says he's not sure what would happen if they killed Guts on the spot. More horrible things might randomly start appearing in the city if they killed him there. So they're bringing him here where uhhhh, I guess his death will at least be insulated in this tomb, like nuclear waste.

If that's the case and everyone just sees him as a curse to be sealed away, that makes some level of sense. At least as much as Mozgus burning Casca at the stake to stop all the calamity at the Tower. It would at least explain the fear of the soldiers.

I don't understand how Daiba wouldn't have been aware of the brand before this point when they captured him, and from all that Rickert must have told him. Nor why he placed the blame on him rather than Rakshas. They did specifically seek to capture the Seahorse after all, as Silat Rickert, and Daiba wouldn't have been the random high seas patrol. Even if they had captured them at random, Rickert, Silat, and Daiba would have known about Guts condition well before.

This continuation just asks the reader to jump to so many conclusions with so little continuity.

 

[Walter]

I don't understand how Daiba wouldn't have been aware of the brand before this point when they captured him, and from all that Rickert must have told him. Nor why he placed the blame on him rather than Rakshas. They did specifically seek to capture the Seahorse after all, as Silat Rickert, and Daiba wouldn't have been the random high seas patrol. Even if they had captured them at random, Rickert, Silat, and Daiba would have known about Guts condition well before.

The whole scenario only makes sense if Daiba knew exactly what he was doing from the start, and is feigning ignorance about the brand and how to treat Guts. That's no guarantee that the result will make any sense…

But it would certainly be a bizarre turn of events for Daiba to suddenly be so clueless about the brand, despite knowing so much about apostles, and bottle up Guts because he's inconvenient. Because Daiba is the whole reason the Sea Horse was captured in the first place. One would assume that's because Daiba has something in mind for him. We just can't see what that is yet, because events have progressed like unedited snail porn.

 

[Rorschach]

I will work on a proposal for a letter-writing campaign over the summer. But it will only work if enough people are willing to make the effort.

I'm not sure if this is what you imply by "letter-writing campaign," but this is most likely related to it.

It might sound a bit counter-intuitive, but I don't want the continuation to be canceled. I want them to tell their story 'til the end. Why? Because this way all the cards will be on the table, and these people and their "fans" wouldn't have the get-out-of-jail card of "had only they let us finish our story, it would have been amazing." I know it sounds vindictive, but they really don't deserve any better at this point.

Those of use who understand and love Berserk know what the continuation is and have no delusions about its future. All we should do is have a place where issues with it are pointed out for those who feel that something is wrong, but can't really verbalize it themselves. And each of us should have the discipline to avoid financially supporting the continuation to both ensure they don't get to drag their feet for too long and since they simply don't deserve it.

And as for more casual readers: I'm not an asshole, I don't wish ill to anyone or wish to ruin their fun. There are people who genuinely seem to enjoy the continuation, even if it's just content for them, then it's a win for them too. Ultimately, once the continuation is done, these people will either be satisfied and move on, or be disappointed and move on. As painful as it might sound, but even Miura's Berserk is content to a lot of "fans" too.

As for "tarnishing Miura's legacy:" I personally disagree with this. Miura's legacy is spotless and all that continuation has done is prove that these people are talentless hacks who shamelessly and selfishly did something that just benefits themselves with no concern with what's right. Any comparisons with Miura and Berserk is just laughable at this pint. It's extremely annoying that the continuation exists, and I wish that Moir had the presence of mind and enough respect for his late friend and his work to have not made this grieves error, but we're already way past that point. Even if it was possible to have the continuation be canceled, it won't change the fact that it exists. And having it get to a conclusion or be cut short won't matter from that perspective.

It's a shame that we are where we are. When the continuation was announced, I remember writing that even if it won't be Miura's Berserk, it can still be a good story. True, it would have a different style, the characters might behave a bit differently, certain aspects of the story would be simplified, and the deeper layers and wisdom that you find in Berserk would not be found there, however it could still work as a quality story picking up where Miura left off and getting it some closure. It's a shame that even this relatively low bar turned out to be unattainable for the continuation team.

 

[Aazealh]

I'm not sure if this is what you imply by "letter-writing camping,"

It's not.

 

[hsvfan-jan]

No, not pile of dead monks, I mean entire entombing monks in a dark place and monk dead bodies in a wall mural.

I got reminded by a cave in Sekiro instead. Only because we just had the reference in the episode title, though.

This episode felt like the team wrote themselves into a corner. So far, it seemed like they tried to avoid writing text for Guts more so than for the others, and now they're bringing him into a location where inner monologue would be key to resolve the state he's in?!

I'm calling it: next episode is going to be titled "The One Piece that is important to Guts", Schierke will reach out to him and tell him where Casca is, and the episode will then feature this panel of Guts saying "I still have her!!!"

 

[Gambler]

I got reminded by a cave in Sekiro instead. Only because we just had the reference in the episode title, though.

This episode felt like the team wrote themselves into a corner. So far, it seemed like they tried to avoid writing text for Guts more so than for the others, and now they're bringing him into a location where inner monologue would be key to resolve the state he's in?!

I'm calling it: next episode is going to be titled "The One Piece that is important to Guts", Schierke will reach out to him and tell him where Casca is, and the episode will then feature this panel of Guts saying "I still have her!!!"

And then Guts implodes the Stupa with his bare hands from the inside.

 

[Beelzebud]

I will work on a proposal for a letter-writing campaign over the summer. But it will only work if enough people are willing to make the effort.

Count me in for everything I can help.

 

[hsvfan-jan]

I will work on a proposal for a letter-writing campaign over the summer. But it will only work if enough people are willing to make the effort.

I'm sure you'll explain it in detail whenever you decide to open that post, but is there a known limit of how long a letter should be so that someone will read it? Your previous letter had a nice length, but I'm not sure how to put foundational criticism in such a short format.

 

[Aazealh]

I'm sure you'll explain it in detail whenever you decide to open that post, but is there a known limit of how long a letter should be so that someone will read it?

I mean if you sent 30 pages then yeah I doubt they'd read all that, but I don't think that's necessary. The gesture of writing in to convey displeasure is what really matters. From their point of view it's a non-negligible effort.

Your previous letter had a nice length, but I'm not sure how to put foundational criticism in such a short format.

I'm a pretty good writer, if I do say so myself. I don't see that being a problem.

 

[Maco_2000]

I actually forgot this chapter dropped until like 5 minutes ago.

Nothing happened in this chapter. Hold on, that's not true. One thing happened in this chapter: they arrived at this place and Guts walked in. (Two things?)

Reminds me of how they began the continuation with an EPIC DOUBLE CHAPTER DROP, just for the first half of 365 to be a retelling of the last few moments of 364, and the last half is "Guts sees Griffith, gets mad, and swings his sword." With a lot of these chapters it feels like they're stalling for time. It's a very sad problem to have.

Really makes you appreciate Miura's writing. Reading one chapter of real Berserk feels like reading 6 chapters of the continuation.